Professor Cligoris is the instructor for the Political Science class at Greendale Community College. Possessing a calm and reserved demeanor, he has a great enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject. He is also very passionate when it comes to anything related to the United Nations. His first and so far only appearance was in "Geography of Global Conflict". He is portrayed by Martin Starr.

In "Geography of Global Conflict" he was lecturing the class on the end of World War II and President Roosevelt, highlighting his lecture by delivering it while seated in a wheelchair. When he calls on Annie Kim instead of Annie Edison to answer a question about the Yalta Conference, he unknowingly ignites a rivalry between the two ladies. He is later approached by Kim about forming a Model UN at Greendale, not knowing that she had gotten the idea from Edison. He eagerly agrees, excited by the prospect and makes an announcement at one of his classes. It is at that moment Jeff and Annie Edison arrive and confront Kim over having stolen the idea. An argument ensues which has both sides stating their intent to create separate model UNs. Professor Cligoris steps in and says that there is only one way to settle the matter. He suggests that a competition be held between the two Annie's in order to determine which one will officially represent the school. He schedules the showdown at 7:00PM the following night in the school's cafeteria.

Either pronunciation of "Cligoris" is correct

On the night of the competition, Professor Cligoris presides over the event as the moderator with Garrett assisting him. The two opposing teams then face off with the Blue Model UN team lead by Edison and comprised of the study group versus the Red Model UN team lead by Kim made up of Vicki and a few other Poli-Sci students. Abed asks Cligoris if having two model UNs means that there are two different Earths. Wanting to get the contest started, the Professor humors him and agrees. Garrett reads off various crisis alerts that both teams have to satisfactorily resolve in a peaceful manner. At first, the Blue team gets the lead, but a horrible smell ends up distracting them and killing their momentum. Frustrated at her team's inability to regain focus for the competition at hand, Annie Edison throws an embarrassing tantrum onstage. She runs off after having been scolded by Jeff, which enables the Red Model UN to quickly overtake them on points.

The Model U.N. showdown begins...

When she returns, she uses a last ditch gambit suggested by Abed to win. The Blue Model UN team interrupts the Red team's deliberations, pretending to be a video message sent from their Earth using Switzerland's Hadron Collider. Annie Kim complains about the interference to the Professor, but he overrules her objections, saying that the science works out. Annie Edison then extends an offer to Kim's team to stop their own conflict and join them to form a "united United Nations". Kim refuses, saying that she prefers to have the real victory over a symbolic one. Professor Cligoris applauds her logic, but says that by rejecting the offer, she goes against the very idea of the United Nations which is based on good ideas and intentions. He then awards the victory to the Blue Model U.N. team.

“I am so excited that we finally have a model UN here at Greendale. I am really, really, really, really, really into Model UNs. They used to call me Model UN guy back in college... well that's not... don't research that.”

“A logical, effective, common sense move, Annie Kim...one which flies in the very face of the United Nations itself: a fundamentally symbolic organization founded on the principles of high-minded rhetoric and empty gestures.”

Martin Starr and Alison Brie have worked together before. Along with Lizzy Caplan, they both starred in the 2012 independent film "Save the Date". In the film, Brie plays the sister of Caplan 's character named Beth who is obsessed with planning the perfect wedding to her fiance Andrew played by Starr.